Electric iron and iron elevating means



June 1950 L. c. TULLGREN ET AL 2,511,309

ELECTRIC IRON AND IRON ELEVATING MEANS Filed July 26, 1948 2 Shecs-Sheet 1 .Z. L. Tulgren J/JIBmzkiea/icz J INVENTOR BY W.

ATTORNEYS.

June 1950 L. c. TULLGREN ETAL 2,511,309

ELECTRIC IRON AND IRON ELEVATING MEANS Filed July 26, 1848 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 1/ BY 1'! 'Il ATTORNEYS Patented June 13 1950 ELECTRIC IRON AND IRON ELEVATING MEANS lester Carl Tullgren, Minneapolis, Minn. and

- Joseph s.- Bonklewica, Jr., Lodgepole, Nebr.

Application July 26, 1948, Serial No. 40,694

1 Claim. 3

This invention relates to improvements in electric irons.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved form and construction of electric iron which will require the inward movement or compressing of its hinged handle sections to close an electric circuit to its heating element.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved electric iron having means for automatically elevating the iron above the surface of an ironing board when the iron is placed thereon, and the grasp upon the sectional handle of the iron is released.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved electric iron which may be readily pushed over the work being ironed in either direction, and which will permit the electric conductor cord to be plugged into either side of the iron adjacent either end thereof.

A still further object of the invention is to pro-@ vide an improved electric iron which will readily and efliciently iron around buttons and which will eiiiciently iron plaits in a garment being ironed.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application:

Figure 1 is a side elevation oi the improved electric iron.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the improved electric iron.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail plan view of the master control temperature adiusting switch.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the improved electric iron.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the electric conductor plug.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the hinge plates and vertically reciprocable supporting leg attached thereto, also showing one of the contacts for the automatic switch.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the wiring circuits for the electric iron.

Like characters of reference are used throughout the following specification and the acoom panying drawings to designate corresponding parts.

In carrying out the invention. there is shown and provided an improved form and construction of electric iron including a base portion I of substantially heavy metal having inwardly and upwardly extending side walls 2 and 3 about the upper and outer edges of which the peripheral seats 4 and 6 are formed to receive the lower edges of the relatively thin walled upper portion 6 of the iron. A longitudinally extending upstanding web 1 is formed integrally with the base portion I of the iron, the same being formed with hinge barrels 1' along the front and back portions of its upper edge. Oppositely disposed pairs of hinge leaves 8 having barrels 8 formed along their lower edges are aligned with the hinge barrels I at the front and rear ends of the web I, and are pivotally secured in place by the hinge pins l0.

Bracket arms H and i2 are suitably secured to the leaves 8 and extend laterally at right angles therefrom, and pivotally support the four depending iron supporting legs I! upon the pivot pins l4, said legs l3 being split at their upper ends as at I5 to receive the arms ii and I2. The arms II and I2 are vertically and reciprocably slidable through apertures l6 formed through the base portion l of the iron.

Coil tensioning springs H are disposed about, the hinge pins I0 and have an end of each spring anchored to a struck out ear [8 on each of the four arms H and i2.

The handle of the iron comprises longitudinally split halves or sections l9 and which are secured to the hinge leaves I by means of suitable fasteners (not shown) which will extend through the apertures 2| in the hinge leaves 8.

A contact 22 will be supported upon the insulation block 23 and will be secured to the arm H by means of the screw 24 for movement therewith. A cooperating fixed contact 25 will be attached to the L-shape bracket 26, which will be secured by the screw 21 to the web 1, whereby when the handle sections I9 and 20 are compressed together, the contacts 22 and 25 will be closed.

A master switch 28 will be rotatably supported upon the upper portion 2 of the iron directly below the handle sections is and 20, and will include a resistance or rheostat for selectively heating the iron heating element 29 to the desired temperatures for ironing various materials. Indicia 30 will be applied upon the top of the master switch 28 to indicate the position of the switch when the various materials are to be ironed. A fixed indicator point 3| will be positioned on the upper portion 2 of the iron for indicating the "oiP position of the switch 28.

Apertures 32 and 33 will be formed through the opposite sides of the upper portion 2 of the iron and axially bored contact posts 34 will be mounted upon the upper surface of the base I of the iron directly therebelow for receiving the male current supply (not shown).

3 plug member 35 supported by the rubber cord terminal 36 which is connected with the conductor 31 for connection with a source of electric The rubber cord terminal 36 will extend laterally of the iron when the male plug member 35 is inserted in either of the contact posts 34. I

A pointed pleating bore 38 will be formed on one end of the iron for readily and efliciently ironing pleats in garments.

A conical opening 39 will be formed through the opposite end of the bore I of the iron and an overlying opening 40 will be formed in the upper portion 2 of the iron whereby the iron may be placed over a button (not shown) and the material to which the button is attached may be ironed by merely rotating the iron about the button which may be clearly seen through the aligned openings 39 and 40.

The circuit diagram shown in Fig. 7 shows the conductors 31 connected with the male plug member 35 and to the upper portion 2 of the iron. The circuit includes the contact ports 34, the master switch of rheostat 28, the movable contact 22, fixed contact 25 and heating element 29, all of which will be connected in series.

In operation, the sections l9 and 20 oi the handle, which are normally held apart by the coil springs II, are grasped and compressed, which action will cause the legs I3 which are extended below the base portion l of the iron to be retracted within said base portion, and'simultaneously close the contacts 22 and 25 to complete the circuit to heat the iron heating element 29. As soon as the handle sections are released, the circuit will be automatically broken to the heating element 29 and the legs [3 will be projected downwardly to hold the lower portion 2 of the iron above the work being ironed.

While the preferred embodiment of the instant invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention thereto, as many minor changes in detail of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

An electric iron including base and upper portions, a heating element in said base portion, a master rheostat switch connected therewith, a longitudinal upstanding web formed on said base portion, longitudinally split handle sections pivotaily attached to the upper edge of said web, a fixed contact attached to said web, a cooperating movable contact supported and actuated by one of said pivoted handle sections, and resilient means for normally holding said handle means spaced apart when said iron is not being used.

LESTER CARL TUILGREN. JOSEPH S. BONKIEWICZ, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Lofgren Oct. 19, 1943 

